MKS sports also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends a press conference on China's foreign policy and external relations on the sidelines of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025. Photo: VCG" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2025/2025-03-07/5969a18d-9ce8-4c75-b41a-e8f9ad2b2873.jpeg" />

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends a press conference on China's foreign policy and external relations on the sidelines of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 7, 2025. Photo: VCG

Through head-of-state diplomacy, China's relations with the world have undergone positive and profound changes. In the past year, President Xi Jinping personally planned and conducted head-of-state diplomacy, and many fruitful results were achieved, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.

There will be new highlights in China's head-of-state diplomacy in 2025. "Head-of-state diplomacy will write a new chapter of closer cooperation and shared success between China and the world," Wang said, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

At the Friday press conference lasting about 90 minutes, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, took 23 questions, two more than the previous year, on a wide range of topics including China's relations with other countries, China's views on hotspot issues as well as China's vision for global governance.

The press conference, held on the sidelines of the ongoing two sessions, provided a window for the world to understand China's diplomacy. Domestic and foreign reporters arrived early and seats in the meeting hall were all taken an hour before the press briefing, which started at 10am, the Global Times noticed.  

Buzzwords from Wang's remarks including stability, cooperation, multilateralism, and Global South, have jointly delivered the message that in a world facing mounting challenges of unilateralism and protectionism, China will continue to bring much-needed stability and positivity to the world and advocate for the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, analysts said. 

Stability in turbulence 

Wang said that we are living in a changing and turbulent world, where certainty is becoming a scarce resource. The choices made by countries, especially major countries, will determine the trajectory of our times and shape the future of the world. China's diplomacy will stand firm on the right side of history and on the side of human progress. We will provide certainty to this uncertain world.

Of the 23 questions, eight directly mentioned the US. In response to a question concerning the US administration's imposition of tariffs using the excuse of fentanyl while claiming to seek a good relationship with China, Wang said, "The US should not return good with evil, or even impose arbitrary tariffs," which is not the behavior of a responsible major power.

Wang further said that "if one's action fails, look for the reason within oneself." 

"One should not fantasize that it can suppress China and maintain good relations with China at the same time," he said, adding that such a "two-faced" approach not only undermines the stability of bilateral relations but also fails to build mutual trust between the two sides, according to a transcript of the press conference published by Xinhua.

The US should go over what has actually happened: What has it achieved from tariffs and trade wars these years? Has its trade deficit grown or shrunk? Has the competitiveness of its manufacturing sector increased or declined? Has inflation improved or worsened? Has the quality of life for its people gotten better or worse? Wang asked. 

Responding to another question about the impressive emergence of DeepSeek, and US reactions to China's technological advancement, Wang said that science and technology should not be used to put up an iron curtain, and it should be the wealth that benefits all and is shared by all.

Where there is blockade, there is breakthrough; where there is suppression, there is innovation; where there is the fiercest storm, there is the platform launching China's science and technology skyward like the Chinese mythological hero Nezha soaring into the heavens, said Wang. 

As China-US relations carry great international significance, many of the questions also touched upon the US as the backdrop. 

In response to a question about whether Russia-US dialogue could influence China-Russia strategic coordination, Wang said China-Russia relations are "a constant in a turbulent world rather than a variable in geopolitical games." No matter how the international landscape evolves, the historical logic of China-Russia friendship will not change and its internal driving force will not diminish, Wang said.

Wang also criticized the role of "external forces" when addressing a question on the South China Sea. 

Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Friday that the press conference highlighted a stark contrast: the US administration's "America First" and unilateralism have triggered instability and tensions worldwide, whereas China has consistently advocated for a fair and just international order based on cooperation and mutual benefit. 

Li expressed confidence that more countries will come to recognize that China's approach of international relations will inject more certainty and stability into a world in turbulence.

Global South 

Another buzzword at the press conference was "Global South", which was mentioned 24 times, the Global Times noticed. 

The collective rise of the Global South, represented by emerging markets and developing countries, is profoundly reshaping the global landscape and has become a key force driving changes in the international order, Song Wei, a professor from the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Friday.

"The hallmark of our era is the prominent, growing strength of the Global South," Wang said Friday.

This year, China will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Brazil the BRICS summit, and South Africa the G20 summit. "We should speak in one voice to the world, safeguard our common interests, and steadily increase our representation and voice in global governance," Wang said.

Wang also called for building a community with a shared future for mankind. An increasing number of countries have participated in the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, with over 100 countries supporting the three global initiatives, namely, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative.

Wang added that over three quarters of countries across the world have joined the family of the Belt and Road cooperation, Wang said.

History will prove that a real winner is the one that keeps in mind the interests of all. A community with a shared future for humanity will ensure that the world belongs to every country, and that everyone will have a bright future, Wang added.

Song said China is not advocating for one system or civilization to replace another, but that different countries share interests and benefits while shouldering responsibilities together in international affairs. 

China, through its own development and cooperation with others, through the three global initiatives, the Belt and Road Initiative and proposals alike, shares development opportunities with others, particularly the Global South, analysts said. 

Vision for global governance 

At the press conference, the Global Times reporter raised a question that some believe that the current international order is facing its most dangerous moment since WWII, with the role and authority of the UN being undermined, how the situation can be addressed and what role China will play?

Wang said the more complex the problems, the greater the need to accentuate the important status of the UN; the more pressing the challenges, the greater the need to uphold the due authority of the UN.

Amid certain countries' stirring up of bloc confrontation and divisions in recent years, China's emphasis on strengthening the UN's central role has become even more urgent. By advancing genuine multilateralism, China is emerging as a key force in guiding the world toward greater stability, prosperity, and fairness, Li added.

All countries want to prevent the world from returning to the law of the jungle. To this end, the first thing to do is to cement the cornerstone of sovereign equality. Those with stronger arms and bigger fists should not be allowed to call the shots, Wang said.

Last month, China presided over a high-level meeting in the UN Security Council on the theme of "Practicing Multilateralism, Reforming and Improving Global Governance."

More than 100 countries enthusiastically signed up to participate, marking the beginning of the activities to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the UN, Wang said.

China is ready to work with all sides to reflect on the founding vision of the UN, observe the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and build a more just and equitable global governance system, he said.